Hobby Lobby plans second Spokane store on North Division, near Michaels

A big deal for the crafters in the area, Hobby Lobby has announced it's opening a north Spokane location later this year.

This will be the national craft retailer's second Spokane area location.

It's taking part of the former Hastings store at 7706 N. Division St. It’s spending about $750,000 to convert the building, said Scott Nelson, Hobby Lobby’s assistant vice president of real estate.

The Oklahoma City-based company sells do-it-yourself crafts, hobby supplies and assorted home items. It opened a Spokane Valley store in 2010.

Nelson said the current owner will turn the building over to Hobby Lobby by next month. It will take about four months to get the building ready for business, he said. It expects to hire 35 to 40 employees.

The business will be a few hundred yards from a North Division Michaels store, a Hobby Lobby competitor. Nelson said the location decision had nothing to do with Michaels. “It’s all about availability (of a building),” he said, adding that Hobby Lobby realized it has customers who didn’t want to drive to the Valley.